Cyclones Roll Up Yards but Fall at Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Iowa State ran a school record 102 plays and tallied 415 total yards, the second-most total offensive yards ever by a Cyclone team in Lincoln, Neb. ISU had the ball 39:12 to Nebraska's 20:48. Iowa State tailback Jason Scales rushed for a career-high 115 yards and two TDs. But despite the numbers, Nebraska won the game 35-17 in Memorial Stadium as the Huskers countered the Cyclone effort by making the big plays at the right time.

“I don't believe in moral victories,” Iowa State head coach Gene Chizik said. “But if you write anything today, it should be that our guys never quit.”

It was not always a pretty game. The teams committed a combined total of seven turnovers. It was Nebraska turnovers that helped Iowa State take an early lead.

The Cyclones stopped Nebraska at the 1-yard line when ISU forced Nebraska's Marlon Lucky to fumble midway through the first quarter. Iowa State defensive back Allen Bell scooped up the ball returned it 34 yards to the Cyclone 35. When the ensuing Iowa State drive stalled, a Nebraska defender was whistled for offsides on a 4th-and-4 punting situation. With new life, the Cyclones drove to the Nebraska 13-yard line, where placekicker Bret Culbertson hit on a 30-yard field goal attempt for a 3-0 ISU lead with 2:05 left in the first quarter.

Scales tallied 63 yards on 18 first-half carries, including several on a 48-yard, six-play drive that was capped by his 3-yard TD run to put the Cyclones up 10-0 with 7:47 left in the first half.

“I just went out and tried to make a contribution when I was called upon,” Scales said. “I will do whatever is asked of me for the team.”

Nebraska came back to take a 14-10 lead at halftime. The Huskers scored on their first possession of the second half when Lucky sliced around the left end and raced 41 yards for a touchdown to put No. 22 Nebraska ahead, 21-10, with just 59 seconds gone in the third quarter. Iowa State was driving late in the third quarter before quarterback Bret Meyer's pass was intercepted by Husker linebacker Bo Ruud and returned 93 yards for a touchdown that put Nebraska up 28-10 with 2:13 left in the period.

Meyer completed 22 of a career-high 51 pass attempts for 281 yards with three interceptions. Nebraska outscored ISU off turnovers 14-3 Saturday. Marquis Hamilton and R.J. Sumrall both caught six balls for the Cyclones.

Lucky rushed 16 times for 107 yards and the TD for Nebraska, which is now 4-1. Nebraska quarterback Sam Keller hit on 18-of-28 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns with one pass that was intercepted by Iowa State's Chris Singleton. Iowa State, 1-4, plays at Texas Tech Saturday in Lubbock, Texas. The game will kickoff at 6 p.m. CDT.

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Players Mentioned

Allen Bell

Bret Culbertson

Bret Culbertson

Marquis Hamilton

Marquis Hamilton

Bret Meyer

Bret Meyer

Jason Scales

Jason Scales

Chris Singleton

Chris Singleton

R.J. Sumrall

R.J. Sumrall

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